Rigging structure for erecting storage enclosures



Oct. 30, 1962 L. T. JONES 3,061,271

RIGGING STRUCTURE FOR ERECTING STORAGE ENCLOSURES Filed Nov. :50, 1960' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 30, 1962 L. T. JONES 3,061,271 RIGGING STRUCTURE FOR ERECTING STORAGE ENCLOSURES Filed Nov. 30, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C O/VES INVENTQfi BY I I I ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 30, 1962 L. T. JONES 3,051,271

RIGGING STRUCTURE FOR ERECTING STORAGE ENCLOSURES Filed Nov. 30, 1960 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z i 7, Jo/vfs INVENTOR BY l I I z ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 30, 1962 1.. -r JONES RIGGING STRUCTURE FOR ERECTING STORAGE ENCLOSURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 30. 1960 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,051,271 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 This invention relates generally to a method for erecting storage structures, such as silos and liquid holding tanks.

The object of the present invention is to provide, a method for erecting a metal storage tank or structure in which the various sections are substantially assembled and joined to one another successively at ground level.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for erecting metal storage tanks which permits the joining of the seams of the various sections of the structure without having to resort to the costly and time consuming operations of erecting and later dismantling scaffolding.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for erecting metal storage tanks which does not require special mountings in foundations or footings for the placement of rigging structures.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method for erecting metal storage tanks in which the uppermost section, including the top, is first assembled and then is raised a suflicient height so that the adjacent lower section may be assembled and joined to the preceding section at the ground level.

The above and still other objects, advantages and improvements will be more fully set forth in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view, taken on the section line 11 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the top ring section and the roof thereon and the lifting rig according to the present invention inside the top ring section.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the central column of the lifting rig according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the central column of the lifting rig according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the section line 55 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 66 of FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the central column of the lifting rig according to the present invention, showing the radial arrangement of the pulleys with only fragments of the frames of the latter, however, being shown.

FIG. 8 is a vertical side elevational view of one form of the lifting bracket, showing the attachment of the hoist lines to the bracket.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view, partly in section, of the lifting bracket according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view, with certain parts broken away, of one of the sheave blocks.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, the tank is here shown as comprised by a cylindrical side wall, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 10, and a two (2) part sloping roof 11a-11b. The cylindrical side wall is formed of arcuate segments 12 of equal length. These segments are sheets of metal of the desired thickness and suitably curved. The arcuate segments 12 abut or lap each other and are secured together by bolting, welding or other means. The tank may have a bottom 14, if desired, or may be erected on a concrete floor. The tank side walls may have stiffeners 13, which are bolted, welded, or secured by other means to the assembled segments.

The central column 15 of the lifting rig according to the present invention, is supported on a base comprised in part by a pair of parallel I beams 1616, which rest on the floor 14 of the tank or on a cement base, as the case may be. The I beams are held in spaced parallel relation by upper and lower plates 17 and 18.

, The upper plate 17 is preferably an L shaped member having a flange 17a, and is suitably cut away at the corners to provide clearance for the upper flanges of the I beams.

The central column 15 provides guides for a pair of sheave blocks 28 and St to be later described, the sheave block 28 being vertically movable and the sheave block 30 fixed. On the top flanges of'the I beams 1616 there is positioned a lower annular end plate 20 of the central column, which is secured by bolts 19 to a flange 17a of the cross plate 17. At the top of the column there is a complementary upper annular end plate 22. Guide members 24-44, which are L-shaped in cross section, are positioned vertically, with their wider flanges 24a chordally of the openings in the plates 20 and 22 and their shorter flanges 24b parallel to and on the opposite sides of a diameter at right angles to the chords. The wider flanges 24a have outset beads 24c at their ends disposed away from the shorter flanges 24b and these beads, with the shorter flanges 24b, form the guides for the vertically movable sheave block 28. Supporting members 25-45 and 26-26 are provided for holding the L-shaped guide members 242-4, and are also L-shaped in cross section, the members 2525 having their narrower flanges 25a secured to the narrower flanges 24b and themembers 2626 having their narrower flanges 26a secured to the wider flanges 24a of the guide members. The supporting members 25-25 and 2626 are secured at their ends, as by welding, to the lower and upper plates 20 and 22, respectively.

An upper sheave block 28 is vertically reciprocable in the above described guides comprised by the flanges 24a and 24b and the bead 240 on the vertically positioned guide members 24- 24; a lower sheave block 30 is fixed in vertical alignment with the upper sheave block 28, being secured to the supporting members 2525. These sheave blocks are substantially identical in construction. Each is comprises in part by diamond shaped side plates Iii-31 and intermediate plates 33-33. The side plates 31- 31 have secured to their vertical apices, as by welding, substantially V-shaped members 32-32, which latter are flattened at their apices; similarly, the intermediate plates 33 have secured to their vertical apices, also as by welding, substantially U-shaped members 34-34, which are trapezoidal at their apices to fit within the apices of the U-shaped members 323-2. The side plates 3131 and the intermediate plates 3333 are held in spaced parallel relationship by transversely positioned rods 35, which pass through suitable aligned holes positioned along the diagonals and adjacent the apices of the plates. On the upper sheave block 28, these rods 35 terminate flush with the outer faces of the side plates 3131; on the lower sheave block 30 they extend through suitable holes in the wider flanges 25b25b of the supporting members 25-25 at 35a to hold this sheave block fixed against vertical sliding movement. Sheaves 36 are rotatably mounted between the side plates 31 and the adjacent intermediate plates 3333 on an afle 37, which passes through aligned holes 38 in the plates. While only three (3) sheaves 36 are illustrated it will be understood that a greater or lesser number could be used, depending upon the multiplying ratio desired. Clevises 39-39 for the attachment of ropes are provided at the apices of the ends 32-34 of the upper sheave block 28, and are secured in place by double headed pins 40.

An idler pulley is comprised by a frame 41, sheave 42 and axle 43 mounted in the frame. The frame 41 of this idler pulley is secured to the wider flange 24a of one of the vertically positioned guide members 24 in any suitable manner, as by welding. A rope 44 is attached at one end to the clevis 39 on the lower V-shaped end 32 of the upper sheave block 28 and is threaded around the right sheave 36 (FIG. 4) of the lower sheave block 30, the right sheave of the upper sheave block 28, the middle sheave of the lower sheave block 30, the middle sheave of the upper sheave block, the left sheave of the lower sheave block and the left sheave of the upper sheave block. This rope 44 then passes downwardly and for approximately at 90 are around the sheave 42 of the idler pulley and to a source of power. The latter may be only hand etfort or a suitable motive means, such as a donkey engine or an electric motor, operating through reduction gearing.

The assembled tank rings are hoisted by six (6) hoist lines 45, which are uniformly spaced around the inner circumference of the wall of the lowermost ring section. While six (6) hoist lines 45 are shown, it will be understood that a greater or lesser number could be used. The hoist lines 45 are secured at their inner ends to the top clevis 39 on the V-shaped end 32-454 of the upper sheave block 28 and extend upwardly through the aperture in the upper annular end plate 22 on the central column 15, and radially and outwardly over suitable pulleys. The latter are comprised by inverted U-shaped frames 46 having outwardly extending flanges 46a-46a at their bottoms, axles 47 and sheaves 48. The pulleys are secured in place by bolts 49, which extend through aligned holes in the flanges 46a-46a and arcuately spaced holes 23 in the upper annular end plate 22 (FIG. 7).

A top plate 50 is positioned above the upper annular end plate 22 on the central column and is secureKd to the tops of the inverted U shaped pulley frames 40, in any suitable manner, as by welding. On this plate 50 there is mounted a second idler pulley, this pulley being comprised by an inverted and inclined U shaped frame 52, having outwardly extending flanges 5261-5211, at its bottom, an axle 54, and a sheave 55. The pulley is secured to the top plate 50 by bolts 53, which extend through aligned holes in the flanges 5211-5211 and the plate 59.

A counter weight 56 is provided and 1s approximately equal to the weight of the sheave block 28. This counterweight is slidable along the wider flange 24 of one of the vertically positioned guide members 24 and has attached thereto one end of a rope 57. This rope 57 extends upwardly over the sheave 58 of the idler pulley, and then downwardly through a suitable hole (not shown) in the top plate 50 and the aperture in the upper annular end plate 22 on the central column 15, and is secured at its other end to the clevis 39 on the top of the V shaped end 32-34 of the upper sheave block 28.

The hoist lines 45 are supported and guided by radially positioned tubular bars 53. The latter are secured at their inner ends to the inverted U shaped frames 46 of the pulleys on the upper annular end plate 22 on the central column 15 by parallel plates 57-57. The tubular bars 58 are flattened slightly on their opposite sides and the plates are secured at one end to same, as by welding. Adjacent their opposite ends the plates 57-57 have aligned holes therein for receiving the axles 47 of the pulleys. These axles are bolts or rods force fitted through the aligned holes in the plates 57-57 and freely received in the axial bores of the sheaves 48. At their upper ends the tubular bars 58 are supported in a similar manner, to be now described, on columns which are designated generally 70.

The columns are each comprised by a pair of tubular members ids-70a, which are positioned in inverted V shaped relation. At their upper ends these tubular members have attached thereto, as by welding, a plate 69, and a top plate 67 is positioned over this plate and secured to the latter by bolts 68, which extend through aligned holes in the two plates. On the top plate 67 there are mounted pulleys, which are comprised by inverted U shaped frames 62, having outwardly extending flanges 62a-62a at their bottoms, axles 63 and sheaves 65. The inverted U shaped frames 62 are secured to the plates 67 and 69 by bolts 66, which extend through aligned holes in the flanges 62a-62a and the plates. At their outer ends these bars are flattened slightly and they are secured at the flattened sections to the U shaped frames 62 of the pulleys by parallel plates 60-60. Bolts 61 are rovided for securing the plates 66-60 in parallel relationship, these bolts extending through aligned holes in the plates beyond the ends of the bars 58.

The plates 66-66 are pivotally secured to the respective bars 58 by bolts 59, which extend through holes in the plates adjacent the inner ends of the latter and aligned holes in the flattened outer ends of the bars 58. This construction provides for a limited pivotal movement of the columns 70 with respect to the radially positioned bars 58. As with the axles 47 for the sheaves 48 at the inner ends of the radially positioned bars 58, the axles 63 for the pulleys 65 are bolts or rods force fitted through the aligned holes in the parallel plates 60-60 and freely received in the axial bores in the sheaves 65. The hoist lines 4-5 extend from the outer ends of the radially positioned bars 58 over the sheaves 65 and then downwardly to the lifting brackets 90, to be later described.

Adjacent their lower ends the tubular members 76a- 76a of the columns are bent inwardly from their axes to form vertically positioned sections 70l2-7tlb, which latter comprise a pedestal for the column. Above the bends in the members 7tia-70a a cross bar 71 is secured between the members. Additional braces 72-72 are each secured at one end to this cross brace 71, on the opposite sides of the transverse center line of the latter, and extend upwardly at an acute angle with reference to the vertical center line between the members 70a-70a, and are secured at their opposite ends to the latter members.

Cables 86 are provided for alignment and bracing of the rigging structures. These cables are secured at their upper ends by angle brackets 74 to the radially positioned bars 58 adjacent the outer ends of the latter. The angle brackets 74 are in turn attached to the bars 58 by bolts 73, which are positioned in suitable holes in one flange of the brackets 74 and aligned holes in the bars. Eye bolts 75 are mounted in suitable holes in the other flanges of the brackets 74 and have nuts 76 on their outer ends. The upper ends of the cables are received in the eye bolts 75, doubled back on themselves and secured to the main sections of the cables by suitable fittings. These fittings are a conventional form of connector for wires or cables and are comprised by complementary plates having parallel longitudinally extending registering semicylindrical grooves therein, which receive the main section of the cable 80 and the doubled back end of same, and which are held together by short bolts 78. The outwardly extending flanges of the brackets 74 are held securely against flexure by short bars 79 which are force fitted through suitable slots formed transversely in the radially positioned bars 58 and which short bars abut the outwardly extending flanges on the under faces of the latter.

At their lower ends the cables 80 are secured to an annular plate 87, which has a central opening 88 therein. This plate is forced fitted over the vertically positioned supporting members 25 and 26, the latter having their flanges cut away, as at 25c and 26c, respectively, to provide abutments for holding the plate against upward movement. Arcuately spaced lugs 86 are secured around the periphery ofthe plate 87 as by welding. The cables 80 are secured to the plate 82 through links 84, which are in turn pivotally secured to the lugs 86 by short bolts 85. At their lower'ends the cables are received in holes 83 in the links 84 and these ends are doubled back upon the main section and secured to the latter by the same type of two-complementary part connector described above in connection with the upper ends of the cables, the two parts of these connectors being held together by short bolts'81.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side and rear elevational views respectively, of one of the lifting brackets 90. These brackets are L shaped in cross section, being comprised by flanges 90a and 90b, and have rows of spaced holes 91 along the longitudinal center lines of the flanges. The lifting brackets are secured to the arcuate ring sections 12 by bolts positioned in the holes 91 along the flange 900, or brackets 90 may be welded to the sections 12, depending on the design of a particular tank or silo. In tanks or silos having the stiifeners 13, the lifting brackets 90 are secured to the arcuate ring sections 12 by bolts, which pass through holes 91 in the flanges 90b of the lifting brackets and stiifeners 13, and by the bolts 92 which pass through aligned holes in the stiffeners 13 and by bolts 92, which pass through aligned holes in the flanges90a of the lifting brackets and in the arcuate ring sections 12.

A plate 93 is secured, as by welding, transversely of the flange 90a of the lifting bracket that is to be fastened to the ring section 12. On this plate there is mounted a post 94, which is semi-cylindrical for 180 of the circumference and has as the remainder of its circumference two (2) complementary quarter elliptical sections. This plate 93 has a flange 93a thereon, which is aligned with the outer edge of the flange 90a of the lifting bracket and is bent over into a continued flange 93b at a right angle to the flange 93a, and which flange 93b is parallel to the bottom of the plate and rests on the top of the post 94.

Above the plate 93 two (2) U bolts 9595 are closely spaced and have their shanks extending through aligned holes in the ring sections and the flange 90a of the lifting bracket. Collars 9696 surround the shanks of these bolts and are secured in place against the flange 90a of the lifting bracket by nuts 97.

The hoist lines 45 pass downwardly inside the radially positioned flanges 90b on the lifting brackets, around the semi-cylindrical sections of the posts 94 and upwardly, and are firmly secured between the collars 96-96 on the U bolts 95-95.

In use the central column 15 is first set in position on either a previously poured concrete base or previously laid floor 14. The first ring section 10 is then assembled by putting the arcuate segments 12 of the latter in pace and joining the ends of each section to the next by the stiffeners 13, which are bolted to the segments 12. The roof 11 is then secured to the top ring section. The successive lower ring sections will then be assembled in the same manner, except that no roof will be erected on same. The hoist lines 45 are now attached to the lifting brackets 90, in the manner above described. Then by pulling on the rope 42 the hoist lines 45 will be drawn inwardly over the radially positioned supporting bars 58, the upper sheave block 28 moving downwardly toward the lower sheave block 30 and the assembled ring section 10 being raised. When the assembled ring section has been raised to the proper height, usually slightly greater than the height of the next lower ring section, to provide some clearance, the next lower ring section may be assembled beneath the raised ring section in the same manner. The raised ring section may then be lowered to rest on the assembled ring section below same and the two sections secured together by bolts (not shown) through suitable holes in the lower circumferential edge of the upper ring section and the upper circum located at ground level on other arcuate ring sections 12, for the raising of the next completed ring section 10, when assembled. The two sections may then be raised as a unit by the hoist lines 45 and the next succeeding ring section assembled beneath same. It will be understood that, as the tank is increased in height, the stifieners 15 are lengthened as needed.

When the tank has been erected to the desired height, the rigging structure may be dis-assembled and removed from same. Axles 47 may be removed from the pulleys at the tops of the central column 15 and axles 63 from the pulleys at the tops of the columns 70 and cables detached from the brackets 74 and the lower plate 87. One arcuate segment 12 of the side wall of the tank is left off, until after the central column 15, radially positioned bars 58 and the columns 70 have been disassembled and removed from the interior of the tank.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A rigging structure for erecting storage tanks from assembled ring sections comprising a central column adapted to be positioned with the assembled ring section surrounding same, guideways in said central column, upper and lower sheave blocks mounted within said cen tral column, the upper one of said sheave blocks vertically slidable in said guideways, radially positioned supporting bars secured to the top of the central column, pulleys mounted on the top of the central column in alignment with the radially positioned supporting bars, vertically disposed columns secured at the outer ends of said radially positioned supporting bars to support the same, pulleys mounted on said columns, hoist lines extending over said pulleys and said supporting bars connected to one of said sheave blocks and the assembled ring section, and a rope threaded through said sheave blocks for raising the assembled ring section.

2. A rigging structure for erecting storage tanks from assembled ring sections comprising a central column adapted to be positioned with the assembled ring section surrounding same, guideways in said central column, upper and lower sheave blocks mounted within said cen tral column, the upper one of said sheave blocks vertically slidable in said guideways, radially positioned supporting bars secured to the top of the central column, vertical columns secured at the outer ends of said radially positioned supporting bars to support the same, lifting brackets adapted to be secured to the wall of the assembled ring section, hoist lines extending over said supporting bars connected to one of said sheave blocks and to the lifting brackets on the assembled ring section, and a rope threaded through said sheave blocks for raising the assembled ring section.

3. A rigging structure for erecting storage tanks from assembled ring sections comprising a central column adapted to be positioned within the assembled ring section guideways in said central column, upper and lower sheave blocks mounted within the central column, the upper one of said sheave blocks vertically slidable in said guideways, arcuately spaced vertical columns positioned around the inner wall of the assembled ring section and in closely spaced parallel relationship thereto, arcuately spaced radially positioned supporting bars of length slightly less than the radius of the assembled ring section pivotally secured at their inner ends to the central column and at their outer ends respectively to the arcuately spaced columns, pulleys mounted on the top of the central column in alignment with the radially positioned supporting bars, pulleys mounted on the arcuately spaced columns, hoist lines extending over said pulleys and said supporting bars and connected at one end to one of said sheave blocks and 7 detachably connected at their other ends to the assembled ring section, and a rope threaded through said sheave blocks for raising the assembled ring section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 968,339 Geraldson Aug. 23, 1910 1,790,692 Allen Feb. 3, 1931 1,839,578 Morton Jan. 5, 1932 8 Burgoyne Feb. 14, 1933 Kroll et a1. Aug. 5, 1952 Adams Oct. 28, 1952 Sabin et a1 Oct. 27, 1953 Wiggins May 22, 1956 Dewese Dec. 22, 1959 Morgan July 25, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 2, 1957 

